'DB Fortress was still high' Kim Jong-kyu-Onuaku Double Tower Power DB, SK by 20 points
Oct 06, 2024
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Wonju DB showed off its power to become more powerful through the KBL Cup. Even though Kang Sang-jae was absent, the power of the height did not decrease, and Lee Kwan-hee, who joined through the trade, fired a hot support shot with a sharp shot from inside and outside. New foreign player Robert Carter's scoring ability was also sharp.
DB, led by head coach Kim Joo-sung, won the first round of the cup competition with a victory. DB won 107 to 81 against Seoul SK in the first Group D match of the '2024 DB Insurance KBL CUP IN Jecheon' held at Jecheon Gymnasium at 4 p.m. on the 6th. As a result, the DB increased its chances of advancing to the semifinal tournament. In the KBL Cup, four groups (3, 3, 3, 2 teams) play a full league, and the first-place team in each group plays the semifinal tournament and the final. Only DB and SK belong to Group D. The 26-point victory on the day is quite meaningful.
DB won the regular league title last season with the power of 'Triple Tower' leading to Kim Jong-kyu, Kang Sang-jae, and Didrick Lawson. However, he failed to renew his contract with Lawson after the end of the season. Instead, he recruited Chinanu Onuaku. The offense is slightly lower than Lawson, but the defense under the basket is rather better. In the end, DB's success or failure this season depends on how it absorbs and utilizes Onuaku.
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In addition to this, Lee Kwan-hee's presence could not be ignored. Lee Kwan-hee scored 20 points in 25 minutes and 32 seconds, including four 3-pointers. This was accompanied by five assists and four interceptions. Along with Carter, Lee Kwan-hee acted like a mobile strike group that moved quickly between DB's powerful twin towers and destroyed enemy forces.
From the beginning, DB was far ahead. At 2-2 in the first quarter, Onuaku scored nine consecutive points, including one 3-pointer. Kim Jong-kyu and Lee Sun-Albino then started scoring. Carter also scored eight points at the end of the first quarter, including two consecutive 3-pointers. They went on a 28-20 run in the first quarter.
The gap widened in the second quarter. Six men, including Yoo Hyun-joon and Kim Hoon, hit three points wildly. As Kim Jong-kyu and Onuaku stood firmly under the basket, the confidence of the outer shooters grew. It was another synergy effect of the Twin Towers.
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Lee Kwan-hee, who played his first official game in the DB uniform, said "It was his first official game since moving to DB, and he got off to a better start than expected. The reason why the game went well was because the training was so difficult. I think the hard training came out on the court. I think Kim Joo-sung will probably train more because of today's result (laughs)."
Lee Kwan-hee then said of his good shooting sense "There have been minor injuries throughout the offseason, but he always practiced shooting 400 to 500 times a day. Also, the height under our goal was so good that we could shoot more comfortably unlike before."
Finally, Lee Kwan-hee was scolded by the coach for not playing defense hard during practice. So I wanted to show that I can do this if I make up my mind through today's game," he said, adding that he focused more on defense.
Coach Kim Joo-sung, who won his first cup game with the new player formation, said, `It seems that the players are more confident in defense and offense because of Onuaku's joining and strengthening under the basket.'
wman@sportschosun.com
